“In fiscal year 2024, ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) task forces helped conduct approximately 203,467 investigations, which led to the arrest of more than 12,600 offenders.”
– Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
What are ICAC cases?
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) cases have continued to grow as more people and more people use and rely on the internet. Examples of ICAC cases include:
- Online grooming
- Possessing, producing or distributing child sexual abuse material
- Sexual exploitation or extortion
- Sex trafficking arranged on the internet
Established in 1998, the ICAC Task Force Program, which consists of 61 coordinated task forces, was created to investigate, prosecute, and respond to internet crimes against children. The ICAC Task Force Program has done exceptional work since then, arresting nearly 90,000 individuals in connection with child sexual victimization complaints.
The 5,000+ law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies affiliated with the ICAC Task Force Program still have numerous challenges standing in their way. Not only do cooperative agencies face personnel and funding shortages while handling time-sensitive investigations, but they also face the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ever-changing technology, such as AI-generated content. ICAC cases can also be difficult to prosecute beyond a reasonable doubt due to a lack of physical evidence available to present in the courtroom.
While there is no single solution to these challenges, L-Tron’s patented OSCR360 System is one tool which investigators and prosecutors can rely on to visually organize and present the facts of a case. In fact, OSCR360 is especially helpful for cases with little to no physical evidence and may be eligible for grant funding.
How can OSCR360 assist with ICAC cases: documenting, organizing and presenting evidence?
OSCR360 consists of presentation software and a 360-degree image capture kit. Throughout the course of an investigation, OSCR360 can:
- Capture and present 360-degree images of rooms, public spaces, and vehicle interiors where a crime allegedly occurred.
- Store and present digital files, such as screenshots of websites, file folders, and network activity.
- Display maps to indicate locations of suspect(s) and victim(s).
- Pin digital evidence to the location in which the evidence was obtained (within a 360-degree image, on a map, or both).
- Tie together these pieces of evidence and provide additional context to judges, juries and those involved in the case.
What is the value of OSCR360 in prosecuting these cases/using the system in the courtroom?
In the courtroom, OSCR360 takes the judge and jury on a virtual walkthrough of a criminal case, highlighting the facts and evidence in a compelling, visual way. Some cases have a tremendous amount of physical evidence.
Yet in ICAC cases, there tends to be very little, if any, physical evidence involved. It can be very difficult to establish context for the courtroom audience when a trial relies heavily on witness testimonies. The prosecution may struggle to build a compelling narrative that explains the heinous nature of these crimes.
These are the cases in which OSCR360 is truly invaluable, because it ties the facts of the case together visually. OSCR360 virtually places jurors directly within the crime scene.
For example, OSCR360 can be used to show:
- The perpetrator’s home environment.
- A room or vehicle with an incriminating set-up.
- Locations where nefarious files were shared or downloaded.
- A visual of where the victim was while communicating with the perpetrator.
- A witness can corroborate where a crime occurred or where they were assaulted.
OSCR360 can also help establish credibility of a witness or victim’s testimony. In one case involving a child kidnapping, investigators set up OSCR360 at the victim’s eye level in the kidnapper’s vehicle. Later, during the trial, the child victim described the interior of the vehicle with incredible accuracy, confirming the validity of their testimony.
Additional OSCR360 Uses
OSCR360 is a multipurpose system used by:
Law enforcement: For crime scene investigations, crash investigations, environmental/outdoor investigations, search warrant documentation, active shooter/emergency preparedness, cold case documentation and virtual training
District attorneys: For trial use, opening and closing arguments, reviewing the case prior to trial, securing a plea deal, and during witness testimony
Fire departments: For fire/arson investigations, fire department training, showing ignition sources and burn patterns.
School districts: For active shooter and emergency planning, reunification planning, and collaborating with first responders
We have customers currently using OSCR360 for ICAC cases. Contact us for more details and check out these resources:
